1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for reducing the forces applied to the wings and particularly to the root of the wings of an aircraft in flight.
When an aircraft makes a maneuver, such as a pull-up, or when it is subjected to a gust of wind, that maneuver causes an increase of the lift and so of the forces applied to the wings and particularly to the root of the wings. A maneuver such as a pull-up or a gust of wind results in a vertical acceleration of the aircraft which can be measured by means of accelerometers. The measurement of such acceleration is called "vertical load factor". For a given load factor, the forces applied to the wings and particularly to the root of the wings can only be reduced by bringing the point of application of the lift close to the root of the wings through an upward deflection of the ailerons provided in the vicinity of the free end of each wing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From the document U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,498 a system is already known for reducing the forces applied to the root of the wings of an aircraft, not only when this latter is effecting maneuvers but also when it is subjected to gusts of wind, comprising accelerometers disposed on the fuselage and at the ends of the wings of the aircraft, and control means for controlling the deflection angle of the ailerons, provided in the vicinity of the free ends of the wings, proportionally to the vertical acceleration of the aircraft measured by said accelerometers.
Such a system is activated whatever the vertical acceleration to which the aircraft is subjected, and that proportionally to said acceleration. The smallest accelerations are therefore reflected in the deflection angle of the ailerons, which may cause disturbances of the flight conditions and causes repeated and often superfluous operation of the actuating jacks of the ailerons.